[Distribution of corneal thickness in the Tunisian population: Study by anterior segment optical coherence tomography]. / Distribution de l'épaisseur cornéenne centrale dans la population tunisienne : étude par tomographie en cohérence optique du segment antérieur.

GOALS: To describe the distribution of the central corneal thickness (CCT) in the Tunisian population. METHODS: A prospective descriptive study was performed in 201 right eyes of 201 randomly selected healthy Tunisian subjects without glaucoma. We measured the spherical error by autorefraction, the axial length using A-scan ultrasound biometry and the central corneal thickness using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (DRI TRITON OCT). RESULTS: We examined 201 eyes. The mean age was 47±13.5 years (18 to 77 years). The M/F sex ratio was at 0.46 (137 women and 64 men). The mean CCT was 508,1µm (standard deviation 31,5µm) and ranged from 440 to 600µm. In our population 43.8% had a CCT less than 500µm, and 89.1% had a CCT less than 550µm. No statistically significant correlation was observed between CCT and age, sex, spherical error or axial length. CONCLUSION: Central corneal thickness in the Caucasian Tunisian population is less than CCT in the European and Asian populations. CCT is independent of age, sex, spherical error or axial length. These results must be confirmed by larger multicentric studies.